Calcium overdose?

[Ferruccio]

Is it OK to leave the cuttlebone in my sulcata's home? or should i only put it in for a short period of time? I don't really see him going crazy over it. Actually i haven't seen him eat it at all... maybe when i'm at work...

Hope to get some insight. Thanks in advance!

 

[Tom]

Yes. Just leave it in there. They will nibble as needed. Sometimes they don't even touch it for months and then eat it all in one sitting. This is okay. Just make sure your tortoise is well hydrated with regular soaks and constant drinking water available.

 

[MichiLove]

I think it's okay to leave the cuttlebone in the enclosure.

 

[Ferruccio]

Yes. Just leave it in there. They will nibble as needed. Sometimes they don't even touch it for months and then eat it all in one sitting. This is okay. Just make sure your tortoise is well hydrated with regular soaks and constant drinking water available.

thanks Tom! How soaked should he actually be? I've been soaking my Ferruccio till just below his neck and sometimes give him a little shower using a spoon to wet his back. I'm too afraid, i mean, i wouldn't know if he's drowning already... is that enough?

---

I think it's okay to leave the cuttlebone in the enclosure.

thank you!

 

[Redstrike]

I keep cuttle bones in my enclosures and my juvenile redfoots nibble on them occassionally. They may not touch it for months, then one day you'll see small nibble marks and white powder all over their faces. This has been the scoop with mine. They seem most interested in the fresh bones and I think it has to do with the ocean-odor still on them.

 

[Tom]

Looks like you have a small sulcata from your avatar photo. I would soak everyday for the first 6 months or so. Use a tall sided tub and warm water about half way up his shell. Leave him in there for 20-30 minutes.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

i leave cuttlebone in my indoor enclosure and in multiple areas of my outdoor enclosure. it literally was months before i saw him nibble some. so i can't hurt to keep it in there.

curious... tom do you know? if the cuttlebone gets wet from squirting down the indoor enclosure or hosing down the outdoor one, does it go bad?

 

[Yvonne G]

Someone please correct my thinking if I'm wrong, but I THINK that the excess calcium is pee'd out.

 

[Watsonpartyof4]

I always make sure when I soak my RF to stay right there, just like a human baby.. Don't leave them alone!

My Tyrone hated his cuttle bone at first, now he nibbles it almost everyday. Some days he won't even look at it. And the funny thing is it ends up all over the place! I am surprised he has not dragged to into his water... He does that with his kale, and only his kale!

 

[Tom]

Because it is just calcium carbonate it won't go bad if it gets wet. If you somehow get some organic material, like feces, in there, then that could support some bacterial or fungal growth...

I've had them wet for long periods of time and it doesn't seem to have bothered anything.

 

[LuckysGirl007]

I've seen each of my torts go over and take a random bite out of the cuttlebone. So I leave it in there also.